Cell cycle checkpoints are regulatory pathways that control the order and timing of cell cycle transitions. They ensure that critical events such as DNA replication and chromosome segregation are completed in high fidelity. The regulation of these cell cycle checkpoints is a critical determinant of the manner in which tumor cells respond to many chemotherapies and radiation. Many effective cancer therapies work by causing DNA damage; however, resistance to these agents remains a significant limitation in the treatment of cancer. Of the several mechanisms of drug resistance, an important one is attributed to the prevention of cell cycle progression through the control of critical activation of a checkpoint pathway. This arrests the cell cycle to provide time for repair, and induces the transcription of genes to facilitate repair, thereby avoiding immediate cell death. By abrogating checkpoint arrests at, for example, the G2 checkpoint, it may be possible to synergistically augment tumor cell death induced by DNA damage and circumvent resistance.
Human CHK1 plays a role in regulating cell cycle arrest by phosphorylating the phosphatase cdc25 on Serine 216, which may be involved in preventing activation of cdc2/cyclin B and initiating mitosis. Therefore, inhibition of CHK1 should enhance DNA damaging agents by initiating mitosis before DNA repair is complete and thereby causing tumor cell death. It is an object of the instant invention to provide novel compounds that are inhibitors of CHK1 (also referred to as Chek1).
It is also an object of the present invention to provide pharmaceutical compositions that comprise the novel compounds that are inhibitors of CHK1.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a method for treating cancer that comprises administering such inhibitors of CHK1 activity.